County panel encourages businesses to give time off to veterans on Veterans Day A state Senate bill proposes businesses give paid leave of absence By Anna Krejci News-Chronicle The Brown County Board passed a resolution last year encouraging all employers in the county to give veteran employees time off to attend Veterans Day memorial services. The resolution was passed unanimously on Nov. 12, the day after Veterans Day. The Veterans Recognition Subcommittee and Human Services Committee brought the petition to the County Board. Veterans Day should be held in high regard, said Patrick Moynihan Jr., chairman of the subcommittee. "The very freedoms we enjoy were provided by those who wore the uniform of our nation," he said Wednesday. Sherry Steenbock, subcommittee vice chairwoman, said plans are being made to inform businesses of the resolution and hopes they will honor the voluntary measure that recognizes veterans. Steenbock hopes more businesses will honor veterans by giving them discounts. She cited PDQ Car Wash giving free car washes to veterans on Veterans Day, and Moynihan said the Packers admit veterans to the Hall of Fame at a reduced price and the Railroad Museum admits veterans at no charge on Veterans Day. Steenbock said special ceremonies at the time of a veteran's death are not sufficient. "Let's honor them now while they're still living," she said. "They need to be recognized now, not when they're gone." Another item on the subcommittee's agenda is publicizing the existence of a state Senate bill that would require all public and private employers to give veteran employees time off to participate in memorial services honoring veterans. Senate Bill 50, introduced by Sens. Russ Decker, D-Schofield, and Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, outlines that veterans who notify employers of their intent to participate in a Veterans Day service by Nov. 1 should receive a paid leave of absence from work that day, or the following Monday if Nov. 11 falls on Saturday or Sunday. The bill has been referred since February to the Committee on Labor, Small Business Development and Consumer Affairs.